Not just what and how, but why!
Developing Vicarious Experience Formal learning is an essential part of firefighters’ and fire officers’ professional development, but informal learning is equally important, with lessons frequently shared using stories. Stories are about sharing knowledge, not simply about entertainment. It is their ability to share culture, values, vision and ideas that make them so critical. They can … Read more
Sanming Modern Practical Firefighting Training Center From March 18th to the 22nd I was privileged to attend the International Fireground Survival Championship and 1st International Firefighter Workshop China at the Sanming Modern Practical Firefighting Training Center in Sanming, China. The Training Center The Sanming Fire Department runs the Sanming Modern Practical Fire Training Center. The … Read more
Simple, clear, & concise fireground communications. 2nd Law of Combat In their book Extreme Ownership, retired Navy Seals Joko Willink and Leif Babin state that the 2nd law of combat is to “keep communications simple, clear, and concise”. This is as essential on the fireground as it is in military combat! Blue Card provides a … Read more
For structural firefighters, response to a fire in a tunnel is an uncommon experience. On Friday, February 14, 2025, at 11:37 firefighters in Green River, Wyoming responded to a multiple vehicle accident and fire in the Twin Tunnel on Interstate 80. Working on a 10-Minute Training tactical decision game based on this incident got me … Read more
From apprentice to master, the science, craft, and art of incident command. What makes a competent IC? Think about the company officers and chiefs you have worked for. Which ones demonstrated competence in the role of incident commander (IC)? What made them competent? Is this easy to describe or is it like Supreme Court Justice … Read more
After more than 10 years, the CFBT-US Blog is back! Rebranded as Command Competence, CFBT-US, LLC the blog has broadened its focus from fire dynamics to include strategy and tactics, and command skills such as situational awareness and decision-making. As previous readers likely noticed, the format of the CFBT-US Blog had degraded due to issues … Read more
Fire Rescue magazine Editor in Chief Tim Sendelbach recently raised a number of questions related to door control in his recent on-line article, Becoming Better Informed on the Fireground(2014). This article, has generated a fair bit of on-line discussion around the following issue: Which is a better tactic to provide a more tenable environment for … Read more
Milestone! As I was preparing to upload this post, I realized that this is the 200th CFBT-US Blog Post since its inception in August of 2008. Quite a lot has happened since then. In 2008 there were few people in the fire service focused on the importance of fire dynamics to firefighting operations. Today it … Read more
English scientist Michael Faraday initiated The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 1825. These lectures which have been held at the Royal Institution in London each year since 1825, with the exception of 1939-1942 are an entertaining and informative presentation of scientific subjects. In 1848, Faraday conducted a series of lectures titles The Chemical History of … Read more
After reading National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Death in the line of duty…2012-28, I was left scratching my head. For many years I have been a supporter of the Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program and have served as an expert reviewer for several reports involving fatalities resulting from extreme fire behavior. … Read more